Submarine mine



G. E. ELIA.

'SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. 1917.

Inv ntor Gi vann E. EH61 PATENT orrics.

GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.-

sUBMAanvE MINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d S pt 14 192 Application filed June 20, 1917. Serial No. 175,726.

To oZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Vickers House Broadway, Westminster, in the county of 'ondon, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Submarine Mines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the firing gear of submarine mines of'the kind in which the striker is connected to the anchor cable and is detachably connected to part of the mine casing by a member which, when a ship strikes the mine, moves relatively to the mine casing to liberate the striker so that the mine will be fired by the upward pull or buoyancy of the mine as is well understood.

According to the invention the aforesaid member and a part attached to the mine casing are so constructed as to form a bayonet joint so that the striker will be liberated from the mine casing by a small relative angular displacement between the mine and the said member.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood, and readily carried into effect, the same will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of a constructional form of the improved firing gear.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, with the lower portion in section on the line 1, l of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section at the point where the pin b is located.

A is a socket which is screwed to the lower part of the mine casing and A is a rod which is attached to or made integral with the striker which is not shown, Bis a memher that normally connects the rod A to the socket A.

The lowerend of the rod A is formed with a head a fitting in a recess in the lower part of the member B. The upper portion of the member B is provided with an interrupted collar Z) and the lower portion of the socketA is also provided with an interrupted collar 5; these two collars constitute the aforesaid bayonet joint connection. Relative angular movement between the member B and the socket A is normally prevented by a shear pin 6. Surrounding the lower parts of the socket A and the member B is a safety sleeve C formed with two holes,

a, c the first for the reception of the usual firlng arm or lever c and the second a for the reception of a shackle to which the anchor cable is attached. The sleeve C is connected to the member B by studs c (F ig. 2) having heads 0 c disposed in re cesses 0 0 in the lower part of the sleeve.

Between the upper surfaces of the heads 0 0 and the bottom of the recesses 0 0 are placed plugs c 0 of sa'l-amlnoniac or other soluble salt. with a slot '0 which normally engages the head of a stud A screwed intothe socket A. The said sleeve is formed with a hole for enabling the shear pin 6' to be placed in position when the parts have been assembled; this hole is closed by a screw threaded plu 0 l hen the mine is being launched the safety sleeve C is in the osition shown and rotation of the member is prevented not only by the shear pin 6, but'also by the engagement of the slot 0 withthe stud A After the mine has been launched and has been in the water a predetermined length of time the sal-ammonia'c plugs 0 0 become dissolved and the mine is free to rise under its buoyancy until the upper surfaces of the heads'0 0 come against the bottom of the recesses 0 0 at which time the stud A is clear of the slot 0 When a ship then strikes the mine relative angular movement takes glace between the socket A and the member (which latter as aforesaid is connected to the sleeve C carrying the firing arm or lever). thereby shearing the pin Z)v and disengaging the interrupted collar I) from the interrupted collar a, whereupon the mine is free to rise relatively to the rod A and is fired by the striker head becoming detached from the striker stem in any suitable manner and being then impelled by its spring to ignite the primer of the 'mine.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the United States is 1. In firing gear for submarine mines of the type comprising a buoyant chamber for an explosive and an anchorfor normally holding the chamber submerged, the combination of a socket adapted to be secured to the chamber, a firing-rod for the mine, a member to which the rod is connected, coacting partson the member and socket forming an interlock, and a casing inclosing' said coacting parts and secured to said member,

The sleeve C is formed said casing being adapted to be connected to the anchor and to carry the firing-lever by which the member is turned relatively to the socket.

2. In firing gear for submarine mines of the type comprising a buoyant chamber for an explosive and an anchor for normally holding the chamber submerged, the combination of a socket adapted to be secured to the chamber, a firing-rod for the mine, a member to which the rod is connected, coacting partson the member and socket formacting parts and connected to said member so as to turn therewith but be relatively movable thereto, and means for preventing rotation of the member when the casing is in one position relatively to the member and permitting such rotation when the casing is in another position, said casing being adapted to be connected to the anchor and to carry the firing-lever by'which the member is turned relatively to the socket.

3. In firing gear for submarine mines, the combination of a socket, a member, coacting parts on the socket and member formed to interlock by a bayonet joint, a firing-rod secured to the member and extending concentrically through the socket and said parts, a casing inclosing the member and said parts and secured to the member, said casing be ing adapted to have the firing lever secured thereto, and means for securing the casing to an anchor.

In firing gear for submarine mines, the combination of a socket, a member, coacting parts on the socket and member formed to interlock by a. bayonet joint, a firing-rod secured to the member and extending concentrically through the socket and said parts, a cylindrical casing inclosing the member and said parts and adapted to have the firing lever secured thereto, means for securing the casing to an anchor, means for securing the casing to the member permitting movement of the casing in the direction of its axis, and means for preventing rotation of the casing relative to the socket under predetermined conditions.

5. In firing gear for submarine mines, the combination of a socket, a member, coacting parts on the socket and member formed to interlock by a bayonet joint, a firing-rod secured to the member and extending concentrically through the socket and said parts, a cylindrical casing inclosing the member and said parts, means for securing the easing to the member permitting movement of the casing in the direction of its axis, and coacting members on the socket and easing which preclude rotation of the casing relative to the socket when the casing is in one position and permitting such movement when the casing has been moved in the direction of its axis from that position.

lng an interlock, a casing inclosing said corupted 6. In firing gear for submarine mines, the combination of a socket, a member, coacting parts on the socket and member formed to interlock by a bayonet joint, a firing-rod secured to the member and extending concentrically through the socket and said parts,

a casing inclosing the member and said parts, bolts connecting the casing to said member for causing the casing member to rotate together while permitting the casing to move relatively to the member in one direction, and bodies of a soluble substance for preventing such relative movement of the casing and member.

7. In a firing gear for submarine mines, the combination of a socket, a member, coacting parts on the socket and member formed to interlock by a bayonet joint, a firing-rod secured to the member and extending concentrically through the socket and said parts, a casing inclosing the member and said parts, bolts securing the mem- V ber to the casing for causing the member and casing to rotate together, bodies of a soluble substance taking up lost motion in the connections from the member of the casing efi'ected by said bolts, and coacting parts on the casing and socket for preventing rotational movement of the casing relatively to the socket except when the casing has moved to take up said lost motion, the casing being provided with means for connecting it to the mine anchor and to the firing lever by which the casing and member are turned relatively to the socket.

8. In firing gear-for submarine mines, the combination with the mine casing and the striker, of a socket attached to the mine casing, a rotary member, cooperating interrupted collars on said socket and member, a sleeve slidably connected to said member, a firing arm carried by said sleeve and means for preventing rotation of said sleeve until the mine has been in the water for a certain length of time. 7

In firing gear for submarine mines, the combination with the mine casing and the striker, of a socket attached to the mine casing, a rotary member, cooperating interrupted collars on said socket and member, a sleeve slidably connected to said member, a firing arm carried by said sleeve, a stud carried by said socket for normally engaging with a slot in said sleeve, and means for preventing sliding movement of said sleeve to disengage the slot from the stud until the mine has been in the water for a certa in length of time. V

10. In firing gear for submarine mines, the combination with the mine casing and the striker, of a socket attached to the mine casing, a rotary member, cooperating intercollars on said socket and member, a sleeve slidably connected to said member, a firing arm carried by said sleeve, a shear sleeve slidably connected to said member, a

firing arm carried by said sleeve, a shear pin for connecting the rotary member to the socket, a stud carried by said socket for normally engaging With a slot in said sleeve, and plugs of soluble salt for normally preventing sliding movement of said sleeve to disengage the slot from the stud.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA. 

